


In Plain Sight

by orphan_account



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F, everybody is some sort of magical creature, fey!Kanaya, pixie!Jade, rosemary, seer!Rose, sprite!Vriska
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-03 15:39:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5296868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose Lalonde was born with the Sight, or the ability to see into the magical world. It's her greatest asset and her greatest secret. She's tired of secrets. And when she finds out how much the magical world hides even from her, everything is going to change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> There's a terrible shortage of new rosemary fic in this fandom. My solution? WRITE A WHOLE BUNCH
> 
> also average chapter length for this will probably be about 2,000 words or over

Rose Lalonde had something of a fractured childhood. 

In her early years, it wasn’t so. She was like all other children. But as she grew older, this image of perfection began to crack. 

As her peers began to lose their Sight, dismissing faeries and mermaids as mere child’s fantasies, hers held on. By the age of ten, one thing became clear. Rose Lalonde was not a normal girl. 

She was a Seer.

By the time it really mattered, she had learned to treat her Sight as a dark secret, but the damage was done. No one could forget the girl whose normality came late. The townsfolk whispered. 

_Her mother was such a nice woman._

_It’s because of the girl, what happened to her, I bet._

_I don’t trust those late-faders. Seers in hiding, the lot of them. If the Sight doesn’t want to leave, it won’t at all._

To be a Seer was to be outcast. To live on the brinks of society, listening to the murmuring of two separate realms. The only means of safety were to hide or to take refuge in a Sight Cult (which, admittedly, Rose had considered often). 

Quite simply, the human world was scared of people like Rose. 

Luckily for her, when you exist on two planes, even if one forsakes you, there’s always the other. Rose had no human friends to her name, but quite a lot of pixies and other sorts of magical creatures.

“What’s the rest of your world like?” she wondered aloud. Jade laughed, her voice a tiny bell tinkling in the wind. She was sitting in Rose’s palm, her green eyes glittering in the bright sunlight. 

“To you, I don’t know. To us, it’s endless,” the pixie replied. “But I’ve told you so much about it. What could still want to know?”

Rose looked at the tiny girl. “Well… I’ve met you, and John and Dave, and all the others, and I’ve Seen so many things, but never any of the things they tell about in the Old Legends. There has to be more. You can’t just exist for the sake of existing.” 

Jade giggled. “You won’t find an ounce of sense in those old myths. Believe me, I’ve told you all there is to know.”

And Rose might have believed her. If it weren’t for the whispers on the breeze, the mutterings of spirits, the magic coursing through her very blood. Pixies were good friends, but not above keeping secrets, and she knew it. 

In only one aspect were the people of her village more informative than the magical beings of the other side. They never stopped talking about the Old Legends. They spoke with fear, excitement, and in some, the slightest hint of wistfulness. They told of long-dead monsters, of goblins and hydras and, with the most hushed tones, they told of the Fey. 

Rose was tired of hiding, and she was tired of secrets. She was curious, as is the nature of a Seer.

Without that nature she never would have ended up at Whisper Hill on the summer solstice, about to uncover one of the most ancient mysteries of both the worlds she lived in.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea where this is going I'm just trying to make it not suck lmao

If Rose had told her mother where she was going tonight, it wouldn’t have made any difference. She probably wouldn’t have even woken from her alcohol-induced slumber. 

If she had told her pixie friends, they would have advised against it in that secretive way they had. With that subtle warning tone they used when she brought up the Legends. 

But she hadn’t told anyone, so no one stopped her. 

It was a warm summer’s night, just the sort of night meant for something magical. Rose sat still, her body hidden behind a wide oak tree. 

She had asked all over town for anything concerning the Old Legends. She had been mostly turned away, but a few old wives had given her whispered accounts of stories they had heard when they were young girls. She had poured over ancient texts in the library, searching for anything that could give her a clue.

_The Old Legends tell us that once a century, on the summer solstice, the Fey will walk this earth._

That’s what the history book had said, when she found it buried in the deepest recesses of the library. She had scanned every word, but it was the only mention of the magical beings, now so close to forgotten. 

But it was enough.

And now, she sat, waiting. The witching hour was upon them. If there was any truth to the myths passed down for generations, it would all be revealed in mere moments. 

It started with a dim glow. Rose stayed behind her tree, not daring to peek into the clearing at the top of the hill, but she saw it creeping over the ground, across the trunks of the trees. It was a cool, white light, shimmering slightly. As if silver stardust were wafting through the trees. 

When the light grew strong enough to see by, Rose turned. She peered around the edge of the tree into the clearing. She didn’t know what to expect, and she didn’t know if what she Saw met those unsure expectations.

In the center of the clearing a girl floated. Similar to a brownie, she had no wings. But the shimmering light bathing her surroundings was undoubtedly emitted from her silken skin. 

Rose breathed in surprise when the girl opened her eyes. They were brilliant green and deep as emerald pools. There seemed a wisdom to them, and a sadness, yet also such a joy. 

The girl… The Fey. It must have been. She alighted softly on the ground, her pale feet making no sound. When she spoke, her voice was clear and dignified. 

“Make yourself known.”

Rose was about to step out from behind her tree, when she heard the familiar whizzing of wings. She glanced out to see a sprite facing the girl. 

“Kanaya. It’s been a long time,” the sprite said. 

“And you, Vriska,” the Fey replied gently. 

“Couldn’t you have stayed away longer? I have better things to do then go over politics.”

Rose furrowed her eyebrows. She would have thought the other creatures of the realm would have a higher respect for the Fey.

“So, the Condesce, our Queen, is still around, everything is peaceful, nobody interacts with humans, no Seers to be seen, blah blah blah,” the sprite continued. “You already know that. I don’t see why we even have to do this. No—don’t say it. I already know.” She put on a mimicking tone. “You need to guard your magic more carefully. Not all is as it seems.’ Sure. You’ve been the same meddling worrywart for the past four hundred years. Can I leave now?”

“You’d do well to heed my warnings,” the Fey, Kanaya, said coolly. “You’ll wish you had listened soon enough. And yes, by all means leave me be. I don’t enjoy your company any more than you enjoy mine.”

Rose listened as wings buzzed, quickly zipping out of earshot. 

“Now, Seer. Why don’t you come out into the open?”

Rose swallowed hard and stepped out from behind her tree. 

“Hello. My name is Kanaya. I’m sorry you had to hear that.” Kanaya took a deep breath. “Let’s begin anew.” She reached out her hand.

Rose stepped closer, squinting in the bright light. Kanaya startled.

“Oh! I’m sorry. I can turn this down, give me a moment.”

The shine of her skin immediately dimmed until the light was extinguished. In the leftover moonlight, it was smooth and milky white. She stuck out her hand again. Rose took it.

“I’m Rose. It’s lovely to meet you.”

Kanaya smiled. “I know who you are. Rose Lalonde, the first Seer in a hundred years. And I trust you know who I am.”

Rose nodded. “It wasn’t easy to find you, but I’m glad I made it here.”

Kanaya frowned. “What do you mean?”

Rose tilted her head. “Well… It’s not the easiest feat to get information on the Fey around here.”

“You couldn’t just ask the Faeries? Or the pixies, maybe? I know sprites can be a bit feisty…”

Rose shook her head. “No. They won’t even acknowledge you exist, much less show me how to meet you.”

Kanaya seemed troubled. “A lot can change in a hundred years,” she murmured. “I can see most of what goes on in this world from my own, but not all. I know Seers aren’t exactly the most favored among our kind, but to keep them from any knowledge?”

This time it was Rose’s turn to frown. “What do you mean, not favored? All my friends treat me well.”

“They would. But Seers and Faeries have a long history. The Queen has never trusted them.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised to learn they have a queen,” Rose muttered.

Kanaya looked at her sharply. “What? You’ve never met her?” She paced across the clearing. “Things must be worse than I thought… Your friends. Can you call them? Now?”

Rose nodded. Jade had taught her a bit of siren song they could use to summon each other. She opened her mouth and breathed out a long, high note. 

The otherworldly music filled the clearing. It almost seemed to Rose like it was someone else making the sound. The night air seemed suddenly chilled.

A sharp buzz filled her ears as Jade nearly flew into her. The pixie hovered back and forth in front of Rose’s eyes, her flight erratic. Her tiny face was contorted in panic.

“Rose! What are you doing here?! Why are you with her?” Jade looked fearfully at Kanaya. “Oh, man. This isn’t supposed to happen. We have to leave! Now!”

Kanaya plucked the girl out of the air and held her by her wings. 

“What have you told her?” she said suspiciously. 

“Nothing!” Jade squeaked. “I’m not supposed to! The Queen doesn’t even know she exists!”

Kanaya sighed and released Jade from her grasp. “What’s going on?”

Jade gulped. “Well… You know how we are with Seers, we’re…” She glanced at Rose. “Well, not the most friendly. But it’s gotten worse. If they’re found, they’re to be reported to the Queen. I didn’t tell about Rose! I like her. But if anyone finds out I’ll be in trouble. They aren’t supposed to know anything about us. Much less the Fey! They don’t even teach our history to the little ones anymore!”

“The fear is taking over,” Kanaya muttered. “Again. Oh, this is the separation all over. We have more important things to worry about than fighting among ourselves.” 

Jade took deep breaths. “It’s okay,” she said to herself. “The sun will be up soon, she’ll be gone, everything will be fine, Rose will be fine…”

“Jade, I think you should tell Rose what she’s missing.”

Jade shook her head firmly. “I’m sorry. No, I can’t. I’d be in too much trouble.”

Kanaya sighed. “All right. If you won’t, I will.”

“Rose, there used to be a time when Faeries and humans, and Fey as well, all lived in the same realm. All humans had the Sight. Everything was at peace.

“The Fey were the most powerful of the three, and so we were the rulers. We tried to be just and kind. But eventually the humans and Faeries began to fight against us, and each other. They were each afraid of the other’s power. Faeries grew distrustful of the humans, and only let children and certain adults See them. That is when Seers began. 

“There was a war, and the three groups were sealed into separate worlds. Only the Fey retained the power to cross between them.”

“The Seers weren’t supposed to survive,” Jade said quietly. “Nobody knows why they’re still around, even if they are rare. They’re like a reminder of something they don’t want us to remember.”

“They were never natural born. And that means someone must be creating them,” Kanaya said finally. “Which brings us to the trouble at hand. The Fey are weakening. There are much fewer of us than before. Only a handful remain. Something is taking our magic, and it won’t stop with us. You need to guard this realm carefully.”

“I don’t know how we can,” Jade said miserably. “Vriska won’t admit we’re in trouble, and she’s the royal messenger. I can’t tell, or I’d be imprisoned and Rose’d be killed.”

Rose did a double take. “Killed? Why?”

Jade laughed nervously. “What was it you said to me once? ‘You cant exist just for the sake of existing?’ Well, um… Seers are sort of… harbingers? They only turn up when something bad is going to happen. So, the Queen just kills them off and nothing bad ever happens! Haha…”

“The real question is why I couldn’t see any of this. I should have been able to.” Kanaya turned away. “Everything is wrong now. But you…” She looked up at Rose. “Jade’s right, you aren’t here for no reason. But you don’t have to be a bad sign. You can help, I know you can.”

“I’ll try my best, though I’m still in the dark to most of your world,” Rose answered. She had never realized there was so much more to See. 

“Kanaya, the sun will be up soon,” Jade said urgently. “Is there any way you’ll be able to communicate with us across the barrier?”

Kanaya shook her head ruefully. “Not with our magic in the state it is. Maybe once… No, I think you’ll be on your own.”

The sky was beginning to turn a light yellow, the sun ready to peek over the horizon. Kanaya settled back into her original position in the center of the clearing.

“I wish I could have had more time,” she whispered.

The sun slowly drew over the line of trees, bathing the clearing in light. Rose watched Kanaya closely. Their meeting, however brief, had been so enchanting. She didn’t want it to end. At the very least, she would keep the Fey in her sight until the very end. 

The sun was now a decent height above the trees. Kanaya’s form began to shimmer as it did when she first appeared, the trees behind her showing through her translucent form. Soon she was no more than an outline, her beautiful green eyes blending into the leaves behind her. She smiled sadly at Rose and Jade. 

With a pop, her form solidified. 

Kanaya looked up into the sun, then glanced at her surroundings, confused. Jade’s eyes widened. 

“That’s not supposed to happen.”


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my teachers on monday: how did you spend your vacation? :)
> 
> me: I spent it writing gay fanfiction ma'am

_He takes away the magic because he wants it all for himself. But he does not need it._

A whisper on the air…

Kanaya blinked. Moments passed and nothing changed. 

“How are you still here?” Jade said in awe. “It’s powerful magic that keeps you out. Why would it let you stay in?”

Kanaya stepped out of the center of the clearing. “I can’t say. But this is good. It will allow us to work together. We’ll worry about how it came to be later on.”

“What can we do?” Rose asked curiously. “If our magic is weakening, and we need strong magic to find out the problem?”

Jade smiled. “We can always go somewhere where the magic is strong no matter what.”

“There are places like that?”

“Yep! They’re rare, but there are a few Faerie rings and other spots that are like springs. The magic just overflows into the air!” Jade spun around happily in midair. “Oh, it’s been ages since I visited a spring! Let’s go soon. They’re wonderful. Make you feel like you can do anything!”

“Is there one nearby?” Kanaya said, surprised. “I thought the closest one was in the mountains.”

Jade nodded. “Yeah! The Queen says more have been popping up for the past few years. There’s one by the river, right near her palace!”

“If I’m not supposed to be discovered, isn’t it a bad thing if we’re in close proximity with the Queen?” Rose asked. 

“Oh yeah…” Jade looked crestfallen. “We’ll need permission to get in. I could get it, but I wouldn’t know what kind of spell to do to find our problem once I’m in.” She looked up at Kanaya helplessly. “What do you think—

“Well, well, well,” a voice drawled from just behind the trees. “Look who decided to stick around.”

Kanaya groaned. 

Vriska and two other sprites fluttered into the space, their leader smirking horribly at Kanaya. “I thought maybe, just once, I’d listen to you about this whole warning thing. Just sort of… check it out. We really must have to guard the realm if it’s so easy for you to stay in it.”

“I didn’t do this, Vriska,” Kanaya said, keeping her voice calm. “I don’t know what allowed my presence here, but it’s nothing I have the power to do.”

Vriska snorted. “Sure. Tell it to the Queen.”

“What?” Jade squeaked. “Oh no! We can’t go to her!”

Vriska glanced at her. “Great, another accomplice. Of course we’re going to the Queen, dimwit. She’s got to be informed if we have… company.” The sprite leered at Kanaya.

Through her taunts, she seemed to take notice of Rose for the first time.

“And who are… Oh. _Ooh._ You’ve got a _Seer_ with you as well?” Vriska seemed delighted. “Oh, you will be in proper trouble, won’t you? Just might get locked away!” She cackled. “If you told me five hundred years ago I’d live to see the day the Fey were locked in chains, I’d spell your mouth shut.”

Rose gritted her teeth. “Is there any way we could still get to the spring?” she whispered to Kanaya. 

“It’s not likely. The Queen isn’t one for random acts of kindness,” Kanaya whispered back. “I suppose we’ll be put on trial. Unless the customs have really changed that much.”

Vriska snapped her fingers. “Okay, enough chitchat. You three, come with us.”

She and her two companions floated into the trees. Jade grimaced and followed them. 

Kanaya took Rose’s hand as they walked. She shivered. The Fey’s pale skin was cool to the touch, and tingled slightly. 

“It’ll be all right,” Kanaya said comfortingly. “We’ll find some way to convince them we can help. That is, if they believe they need it…” She shook her head. 

Rose smiled. “I’ll finally get to See more, at least. Even if what I’m Seeing is dead set on killing me.”

Kanaya squeezed her hand. “I won’t let them hurt you.”

“That may be quite a task, if this Queen is truly as harsh as they make her sound,” Rose warned her. 

“I have more magic than any of their best, even if I’m not at peak strength. If it comes down to it, I’ll protect you.”

Kanaya was then silent. “I’ve been watching you a long time,” she said finally. 

“My Sight into this realm was clouding over, but you were always crystal clear. I didn’t know that you never Saw more than a few pixies, but… I could See enough of you to grow attached. You seemed so alive.

“There’s something about humans so different from magical creatures. They have no wings or spells, yet they make do somehow. It’s practically magical in itself. 

“That goes for Seers, as well. You’re almost completely human, Rose, but you do have magic. It’s a very small amount, but it’s there, in your heart. You, what you’re made of, it’s fascinating. Even I don’t know how Seers are created. It would take the kind of power I can’t fathom. To make a whole new type of being? And one so elegant as your kind... One so elegant as you.

“I did wonder why I never Saw you with any other spirits of the realm. You didn’t seem the shy type. I was content simply watching, one of many flaws of my being. I made a mistake. I should have investigated. I Saw, but I did not understand. If only I had found this problem sooner. This… magic-destroyer, or whatever it may be. Maybe I could have stopped it while I still had the power.”

Rose looked into Kanaya’s eyes. “This is not your fault. Whatever or whoever is taking the magic, it’s more than you can fight on your own. But we can fight it together.”

Rose watched as their sprite leaders led them through the forest and down the hill. “I wonder who the other Seers were. The ones they killed, I mean.” She glanced at Kanaya. “Did you See them too?”

Kanaya nodded. “There was a boy, long ago. He was something of a nuisance, if I’m honest. And a girl, later on. She was the last before you. They disappeared from my Sight at a younger age than you have grown to see. You, I’ve watched grow up. It’s funny, I…” She laughed. “I feel as if I know you so well. And I do, of course, but you don’t know me back.”

Rose smiled. “That can be remedied.”

Kanaya looked back at her sadly. “I’m afraid we might not have the time.” They stopped walking at Vriska’s command. 

The sprites had brought them to a doorway set between a pair of entwined trees. It was just large enough for Rose’s human body to squeeze through. Kanaya released her hand as she stepped through the entrance and breathed in surprise. 

The inside was much larger than she had expected, a chamber grand even by human standards. Great pillars supported vaulted ceilings, all ornamented with carvings and baubles. Rose thought it must be invisible to the outside world. She hadn’t seen any trace of it before she stepped through the door. 

“I’ve informed the Queen of our arrival,” the sprite on Vriska’s left chirped. “She awaits us in the throne room.”

“Oh, wow,” Jade murmured. “I’ve never actually been in there.”

Their guides led them through the hall to a heavy oak door. Vriska knocked boldly, and the door swung smoothly open.

This room was even larger than the first, and even more beautifully decorated. Kanaya rolled her eyes.

“Faeries may be small, but they never show it in their construction.”

A long pink carpet led down the center of the room to a throne. It wasn’t as unnecessarily large as everything else in the palace. The highest point of the backing barely reached up to Rose’s chest. 

The small woman seated in it looked up at them with a bored expression. Her wings waved back and forth lazily. 

“What have you brought me, Vriska?”

The sprite inclined her head. “My lady, as you know, the summer solstice has passed us only hours ago. But this Fey remains in our realm. I found her on Whisper Hill, along with a Seer.”

The Queen sat up, suddenly interested. “A Fey? And a Seer?” She looked at Rose. “But she’s so old. Why wasn’t she found until now?”

Vriska gestured at Jade, who, trembling, hovered in front of the throne. 

“I confess, my Queen. I found the Seer, Rose, when she was young. I would have reported it, but… I became her friend. I never told her anything she didn’t need to know, I swear!”

The Queen said nothing for many moments. “Seers are nearly all human, correct?” she said eventually. 

“Y-yes, my lady.”

“And you are aware of our code of secrecy to humans, correct?” Her tone was like ice. 

Jade opened her mouth to speak before she was interrupted.

“And you are aware of the great threat posed by Seers to our realm? How in our history, every time a Seer has grown unchecked, doom has rained down upon us?” The Queen sneered at Jade. “Such loyalty so one who can barely be called magical. Perhaps you value the safety of this girl over that of our kingdom?”

Jade looked to Rose in anguish. “No, my lady! I… I didn’t think of it that way, I... I offer my humblest apologies.” She let herself drop to the ground, and sat upon her knees. “I made a mistake.”

Rose was chilled to see her usually vibrant friend reduced to such a submissive shell. She knew Jade would never say these things about her without reason. She did have loyalty, even to someone looked at with scorn by the Faeries. In a way, the fact that Jade had befriended her at all outweighed anything she was forced to say now. She had proved she didn’t believe it. 

“Send her to the prison. Maybe this way she won’t go off making pals with any more humans.” The Queen waved a hand, and a sprite quickly lunged forward and grabbed Jade, hauling her off before she could protest. Rose made a move to chase after her, but was frozen in place when the Queen snapped her fingers. 

“Seer. How did you know of the Fey, and where to find her?”

“People in my village still speak of the Old Legends. I didn’t believe they were only stories,” Rose said boldly. 

The Queen cursed. “You would think those wretched tales would have passed out of memory after a few hundred years. How much do you know of this realm?”

Rose answered honestly. “I know of the history between Fey, Faeries, and humans, but all my knowledge is due to the Fey Kanaya. Jade never gave up your secrets.”

The Queen shrugged. “If you’re worried about her, don’t be. I really couldn’t care less what happens to her. In the grand scheme of things, she’s just another pixie too stupid to know her place.”

Now the Queen turned to Kanaya. Her eyes glittered.

“So tell me, Fey. By what magic have you been permitted to stay in this realm beyond the limits of the solstice?”

“By what magic or what hand, I do not know,” Kanaya said softly. “It was as great a shock to me as it is now to you when the sun rose and I remained here.”

“My messenger tells me you bring us warning of great danger. What is this danger you speak of?”

Kanaya dipped her head. “In my realm, the magic of the Fey has been weakening. I can only assume this to be the reason of my continued presence. Many of us have grown so weak we simply faded away. There is nothing to say the same could not happen to your own kingdom.”

“You have not considered this to be a possible end to the Fey’s power, then?” the Queen said smoothly. “You’ve all lasted so long. It’s a miracle you’ve retained so much magic after all these years. No, I suspect this is merely fate dealing you a bad hand at last. We can’t all rule forever, you know.”

Kanaya shook her head. “Fair lady, I must disagree. You cannot deny the presence of a Seer in a time of need.”

“No one has ever proven Seers to fortell the fate of only Faeries,” the Queen countered. “This may well be the end for you, Fey, and she may well be your omen. But this kingdom will prevail. We have no need for your warnings.” She turned to her servants. 

“Bring the Fey to the prison with the girl. The Seer… she can go to the gallows.”

_I can’t stop him. He’s taking the magic. He will never stop unless he is made to. Seer, bring them light._

“Did you hear that?” Rose asked Kanaya urgently. 

The door to the throne room slammed open. A nymph burst into the room and ran up to the throne, shoving Rose and Kanaya out of the way.

“The spellmasters, your majesty. I don’t know what’s wrong. Their magic, my lady, it’s just stopped.”

The Queen looked sharply at Rose and Kanaya, then to Vriska. “Take these two to the prison. I’ll deal with them later, this is a matter I must tend to immediately.”

Vriska clapped her hands for Rose and Kanaya to follow before darting out of the hall. The two sped after her.

“No coincidence,” Rose said to Kanaya, their expressions matched masks of fear. 

“It’s gotten to this realm. It won’t be long before it starts to eat away at the very heart of their magic,” Kanaya said worriedly.

“Oh, please, won’t you just let us help you…”


	4. Chapter 3

The only light in the dim room was the pale glow produced by Kanaya’s skin. 

Rose and Kanaya had sat alone in the cold underground cell for what felt like hours, silent and apprehensive. Rose shivered. 

The pair were seated on the stone ground, a few feet apart. Kanaya scooted closer to her. “I forget how delicate humans, or like-humans I mean, I forget how sensitive you are to your environment. Are you alright?”

Rose nodded. “It’s just cold. And I’m beginning to wonder if anyone’s ever going to come down and tell us what’s happened.”

“Well, it would be awfully like the Queen to leave us and pretend nothing is wrong,” Kanaya sighed. “But we mustn’t worry about that quite yet. I’m sure someone will come. In the meantime…” She pulled Rose close to her. “Humans aren’t meant to be underground like this, and neither are Seers.”

Rose jerked back at the feeling of Kanaya’s cool hands on her already cold skin, but settled into the touch once her temperature adjusted. The contact slowly began to warm her up. 

“Is this better?” Kanaya said gently. 

“Yes, thank you.”

“Good. It’s the most I can do for the one who greeted me so kindly. I haven’t had such a good reception in this world for a very long time.”

Rose laughed a little. “You call being dragged before the Queen and locked away a nice reception?”

Rose felt Kanaya shrug. “Though it may be more harsh than usual, that’s rather typical behavior for Faeries. And the attitude of Seers may also vary. You’re the nicest in a while. It’s been a lovely, and lucky, addition to my stay here.” 

Rose smiled, though it was too dark to see. “Through whatever twist of fate it was, I’m glad you’re still here.”

“Of course. We couldn’t have you face this all on your own.”

Rose turned so Kanaya could see her in the little light they had. “As more than a companion, though. I have to say, this feels more like an adventure than a great threat, so far at least. And you… more of a friend than a guide.”

It was at this moment that their cell door popped open. Rose looked up to see Vriska glaring down at her and Kanaya.

“Well? Come on.” Vriska waved a hand.The beckoning tone of her voice did not extend to her expression, which was full of hostility. “We don’t have all day.”

Rose confusedly pushed herself to her feet. “What’s going on? Where are we going?”

“As of right this second, you aren’t being hanged, so shut your mouth and enjoy it,” Vriska grumbled. She flew off into one of the hallways joined to the prison and motioned for them to follow. 

Where they did not go, as Rose expected, was back to the throne room. Instead she found herself entering an entirely new area of the palace. They passed doors, some of which were open, giving tantalizing glances into the place’s activity. A dryad squaked in surprise when she saw Rose looking through her door and hurried to close it. Rose could only wonder at the mermaid tank that the girl had been attentively taking notes on. Yet another door was thick and reinforced with metal, and from behind it Rose could hear what sounded like the roaring of lions. 

The door that Vriska led her to was of sleek mahogany. It looked like the sort of door that would hold something important behind it. Vriska knocked a rather excessive eight times, and it opened.

Rose looked around with interest. The room they had now entered was large, but not as large as the throne room. To the left, tall bookshelves stretched as far as the eye could see, so high you would be only be able to reach the top if you could fly, which, of course, was a minor detail. Just before her, there were two long tables. Every inch of both of them was covered in books. Some were wider than Rose’s arms could reach, and some were miniscule, likely to fit on her pinkie nail. They were all wide open, showing illustrations of magic being worked and pages filled with text. 

The tables were surrounded with chairs, as varied in size as the books. Many of the smaller ones had been placed on top of larger chairs so they were able to reach the table. Some had just been set on the table itself. On a tall and spindly chair sat a mysterious purple instrument, its many tubes puffing blue smoke. 

“This must be the library of magic,” Kanaya said in wonder. “Oh, I’d love to get a look around here.”

“Well, you won’t be getting one,” Vriska snapped. “We have more important things to deal with than giving you an exclusive tour.”

“That’s right,” said a cross-sounding voice. The Queen stepped out from behind a bookshelf. She was looking at Kanaya. 

“If you know of this library, then you must know of its inhabitants.”

Kanaya nodded. “The spellmasters, of course.”

The Queen nodded back. “So. I don’t suppose you could tell me what’s happened to them all, then.”

“No, I can’t. What’s happened?”

The Queen sneered. “Oh, is this something you don’t know? Could I possibly have discovered something the all-powerful Fey have not? I’ll tell you. Two hours ago, as you traipsed your way into my throne room, the spellmasters ceased their work. All their magic was gone. I’ll give you another chance to tell me; how could that have happened?”

Rose interrupted. “I hate to be rude, but I’m going to need some context. Who or what are the spellmasters?”

“Part of the Faerie world is just pure, untapped magic,” Kanaya explained. “It’s part of how the realm exists. It’s the same in mine, and in yours, though no one knows it, and that’s why it never appears. You have no spellmasters. They act as a sort of bridge from the pure magic of existence to the magic we use. They filter it into the world, making it more accessible, and the world stronger as a result. They write all the usable spells. They’re essentially the masters of magic.” She turned to the Queen. 

“But if you’re insinuating that I am to blame for their disappearance, you couldn’t be further from the truth,” she said coldly. “Just look around you. The signature on this room feels nothing like the magic of a Fey.” Rose raised a hand apologetically. 

“There’s a difference between passive and active magic,” the Queen said before Kanaya could open her mouth. “You Seers only have passive, a blessing and curse to us all. You can’t cast spells, but you can’t be tracked. Active magic is purposely controlling your power to bring about something. It leaves a trace unique to the spellcaster.”

“And it’s clear that the one residing over this library is as likely to belong to me as it is to you, Rose,” Kanaya cut in. “Which is to say, it’s impossible.”

The Queen took a seat in one of the many empty chairs. “All right. For the moment, I’m going to let this go, and naively assume that you don’t have any more accomplices who could have done this.

“You came with a warning of events fitting this exact description. If you meant us any real harm, you wouldn’t have told us what was ahead. With anyone else I would call it a cover-up, so you could look innocent. But you Fey are creatures of truth, and it would be foolish to ignore a threat which we have had advance notice of.”

“I’m glad you finally realized that,” Rose said under her breath. The Queen snapped her attention to the Seer. 

“And you. Don’t push it. I could easily do away with you. I only really need that one.” She jerked her head towards Kanaya. “The only reason you’re still breathing is because… I want to see how this plays out.”

_She knows you’re needed. We can’t make it work without you._

Rose looked at Kanaya, then at the Queen. Neither of them could hear this voice, it seemed… 

“I’ll give you one chance,” the Queen continued. “Go where you need to go, do what you need to do. Eliminate this threat. Help us, as you were so eager to do. If you fail in your mission, you will be banished, and the Seer will be killed. I may not know how to expel you from my domain, but something else can always be arranged. A Fey would be a magnificent source of knowledge, and we could take whatever we wanted, however we wanted.”

Kanaya took a deep breath. “I see.”

Rose quickly cut in once more. “Would you also release Jade, please?”

The Queen waved a hand. “The pixie? Whatever. It’s all the same to me.”

A few moments later, Jade zipped in through the open door. She flew directly into Rose’s hair in her excitement. Rose got her out quickly, to a chorus of thanks and well wishes. 

“All right. Enough chit-chat, get going,” the Queen ordered them. Rose, Kanaya, and Jade backed out of the room hastily and shut the door.

“What happens if we fail?” Rose muttered to Kanaya as they walked down the hall in the direction they had came. 

“You heard her,” Kanaya said worriedly. “But it’ll be okay. We won’t fail. We have a plan that should work.”

She lifted her hand, and an ancient-looking book appeared in it. Rose’s jaw dropped.

“Did you take that from the library?”

“I didn’t _steal_ it. I was looking around for the right book while we talked, and when she said we could do what we wanted, I took it. If it were an issue she would have stopped me.”

There was a brief silence. “So, what's the plan?” Jade piped up.

Kanaya flipped open the book and leafed through the delicate pages. “There’s a passage in this book that mentions ‘the spirit of void’. Hmm… Oh, here it is.”

She brought Rose and Jade to the end of the hall, glancing around the corners to see if anyone was there to hear. Then she began to read aloud. 

_"When all the world was naught, there were at first two. Calm and chaos, light and dark, yin and yang, these two brought forth the universe. One was made of magic and had a good heart. The other was the very spirit of void, and destroyed all he touched. Today they live on in all forms of existence. As long as the balance is kept between these forces of nature, all shall live in peace and harmony."_

She closed the book with an air of finality. “Don't you think that sounds like our problem? What if the balance has been upset?”

“But what would that mean for us?” Jade asked fearfully.

Kanaya ignored the question. “There's a spell underneath the text… I don’t know what it does for sure, but it seems like it can summon this ‘spirit of magic.’ It will take a lot of power to work. I’m not sure if I can do it alone. But at least we can get into the spring now, that should help.”

They passed through the prison chamber and on, Jade expertly guiding them through the winding tunnels.

“I may not have been in here before, but I know how it's set up,” she explained. “It’s typical Faerie architecture. It just makes sense to go this way.”

Rose figured it was less common sense and more magic that led Jade along her path. She herself couldn't make head or tail of the twists and turns they took, but you could never really tell with Faeries. A light touch of Kanaya’s hand on her back brought Rose out of her thoughts. 

“I never got to answer you, earlier,” Kanaya said quietly. She looked at Rose. “When you said you felt like I was your friend. I just want you to know that I feel the same way about you.” She squeezed Rose’s hand quickly, and Rose squeezed back before the Fey could let go. 

By way of magic or knowledge, or perhaps luck, the three companions finally found the entrance to the palace once more. Rose half-wished she could stay and look around, and would, if it weren’t for her desire for the Faeries to not suddenly reconsider their mercy on her.

No one tried to stop them leaving, and indeed no one seemed to be around at all. The first guard they came upon stood watch at the entrance to the spring itself, buried in the forest that surrounded the Queen’s palace.

Jade had been right about the magic of the place “overflowing”. As they grew nearer Rose could feel it in her bones, a strange, warm tingle. When she stepped up to the golden gates, it felt like she was almost vibrating.

“State your business,” the guard commanded.

“Official mission from the Queen,” Jade answered. Rose figured the guard could magically sense the truth in her words, or something like that, because he opened the gates without hesitation. 

Inside the gated fence was a patch of forest identical to that outside it. In the center there was a gigantic tree stump. If the tree had been alive and whole, Rose’s arms wouldn't reach halfway around it. 

Kanaya headed straight for the stump and sat down. She summoned the book she had shown Rose and Jade, and began poring over the page containing their instructions. 

She stayed that way, seated, with her nose buried in the book, for a long time. Rose sat on the grass, content to watch. Jade flew around aimlessly, giggling from time to time and mumbling to herself. Apparently all the magic had an intoxicating effect on her. 

Kanaya placed a hand on her page and looked up after about half an hour. “We can begin soon. Jade, it would be best if you kept back. You too, Rose.”

Rose obediently moved to the edge of the spring, leaning against the gold fence. Jade followed her lead, alighting atop a spine of the fence. 

Kanaya let go of the book, and it floated out from under her hands to stop in front of her. She closed her eyes and began to speak. 

“Eli itsnam ashanae. Kai elanon magica prostofae. Regalta peristi namor, ayan kemali elust…”

“That’s the old Faerie tongue,” Jade whispered to Rose. “I can’t remember how to speak it that well, but I can try to translate if you want.” Rose nodded. 

Jade murmured under her breath, her voice echoing Kanaya’s, two voices speaking the same words in harmony. The deep concentration seemed to clear away her intoxication. “Um… Awake from your sleep. O spirit of creation, breathing-- sorry, alive, within us all…”

The pages of the spellbook began to glow, Kanaya’s skin responding in kind. Together they created a light too bright for Rose to look upon directly. The air was thick with power-- if you lit a match, it would all explode. 

Kanaya’s voice rose, Jade fighting to be heard underneath her. 

“Tempus itsnai. Granius prefil si enlo tempa nekani! Nominae.”

“Grace us with your presence in our time of need! I name thee.”

Kanaya and Jade spoke the last word of the spell in the same moment. 

_“Calliope!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here are my current works and their degrees of completion:
> 
> 1\. This Summer's Gonna Hurt, ending in two chapters  
> 2\. The L Word, about halfway finished  
> 3\. A new rosemary AU, unwritten  
> 4\. A rosemary holiday oneshot, completed and should be posted soon  
> 5\. Some kind of johndave AU, I'm debating between a servant/master thing or a crime and punishment AU in which Dave is a klepto.
> 
> Also, I'm thinking of doing some stuff for pairings besides rosemary and johndave for once. Any thoughts about gamtav, davekat, johnkat, or karezi?


	5. Chapter 4

The glow lasted a few more seconds before a figure became distinguishable, a shadow in the blinding light. The glow briefly intensified before fading completely. 

A girl was left standing on the stump that marked the center of the clearing.

Her hair was white, with green swirls adorning her pale cheeks. Her innocent face had a peaceful expression, with lips slightly parted and eyes closed. When she breathed out, a gentle breeze rippled through the grass. 

Her eyes opened slowly to take in her surroundings. Kanaya stood before her, spellbook still hovering open. Rose and Jade waited breathlessly by the fence. 

The girl smiled. “Hello. It’s been a very long time since anyone called me.”

“Are… Are you Calliope?” Kanaya said cautiously.

The girl bobbed her head. “Yes, I am! And you are Kanaya?”

Kanaya nodded. “Yes. I, um. I probably should have known you would know that.”

Calliope laughed, her voice like a bell ringing through the air. “I do know a lot of things. For example, I know who you are, and why you brought me here.”

“But do you know how to help us?” Jade said anxiously. She flew closer to Calliope so her tiny voice could be heard, Rose trailing after her.

Calliope smiled sadly. “Do I know, do I not. Can I help at all? These things, my dear, you cannot ask until you hear the whole story.”

She raised her hands, and the spring around them disappeared. The ground beneath their feet was replaced by a white platform. The space around it was endless blackness. A path twisted upwards from one edge of the blank dais, stretching to the edge of Rose’s vision. She wondered where it led. 

“If you truly wish to fix your world, you must first understand it,” Calliope began. “What do you know of the history of Faeries, Fey, and humans?”

Kanaya looked at Rose, waiting for her to speak. She did so, her voice hesitant:

“I know that the Fey were the most powerful, and ruled over the humans and Faeries until the Faeries rebelled. Then they all separated and the Sight was taken from humans. Am I correct?”

Calliope nodded gently. “You are. But there is much that you, as well as your companions, are unaware of.

“An example: there were never three races. There were four. The Cherubs, the people I belong to, were the first, fewest, and soonest to die out. We lived before anyone in this universe. And it is thanks to us that you were created at all.

“Most of us lived in pairs. We were born in twos, to complete each other. My brother and I were among the last of our generation. In fact, we _were_ the last.

“Cherubs are typically born to represent different aspects. Good and evil, for example. My brother and I were the very essence of magic and nothingness, a fitting pair for the last of our kind.

“My brother had a horrid temper and thirst for power, and I despised it, but we knew we could not live on if we destroyed each other. So we made a pact. We made new worlds. I created the Fey, in the image of my ideals. A kind, generous, magical people. My perfect successors. He created humans. They had the capacity for kindness, but not for magic. And most were more aligned to his hateful views. 

“Our final collaboration was the world of Faeries. We presided over it in equal power. We created a balance, and it seemed like it would remain forever. I was happy. I thought my brother had abandoned his warlike ways in favor of common survival.”

Calliope’s brow creased. Rose listened silently and attentively as she continued her story. 

“I was wrong to place my trust in him. Around half a century ago, not much time at all for us, he decided the balance simply wasn't worth it. Power is his greatest desire, and he has begun acting on it. He’s started to take the magic out of my world, to take it over, and now he wants the one we share.”

Calliope looked at Kanaya seriously. “There's barely any magic left in your world. It’s all I could do to keep you here.”

“So _you_ were the one!” Jade burst out. “You're the reason she’s still here!”

Calliope smiled. “Yes. I'm also the one who brings you this.” She waved a hand, and the platform disappeared. She gestured to the clearing. “These springs are my last attempt to give you back the magic Caliborn steals. A gift, an outpouring, if you will.” 

Jade’s jaw dropped. “Wow! That's so cool!”

“So, his name is Caliborn.” Rose turned the name over in her mouth. 

Calliope’s smile faded. “Yes, and yes. But I don't know it the springs will work much longer. They were a fresh source of pure magic, but they’ll be useless without functioning spellmasters. Caliborn has finally broken into the Faerie realm… He won't stop anytime soon.” 

Jade’s eyes widened. “Wait, are you saying you can't help us?”

Calliope sighed. “No. There is a way… When Cherubs were abundant in the world, sometimes, one of a pair would overpower the other. The stronger Cherub would absorb the defeated one’s magic. That’s probably what my brother is attempting. But why he places it over the survival of our race, I don't know.” 

“Why does your defeat mean your race can't survive?” Rose asked curiously.

“My aspect is magic. If I am overpowered, all the magic in the world will disappear,” Calliope said worriedly. “That includes all magical beings. Caliborn’s aspect may be void, but the magic of his heritage would mean his disappearance as well.”

“What if you defeat him?” Kanaya said quietly. 

Calliope paused. “I could try. I won't pretend I haven't considered it. But it would be difficult, considering he already has the advantage.”

“But you're _magic!_ Like, made of it! Can’t you just…” Jade’s voice trailed off. “Isn’t there something you can do to stop him?”

“I can’t afford to focus on him at the moment. Our greatest problem is the disappearance of magic, and the only way to stop it is to make more. If I take my focus away from that end of the fight, the magic will dry up before I can find a way to beat him.” Calliope sat down. “He works too quickly. If you need me to save the realms, I’ll need some way to make him halt his progress.”

“We never said you had to do it alone.” Rose knelt before Calliope, placing a hand on the girl’s knee. “I haven’t got much magic, myself. But I’ll put whatever I have into helping you.”

Calliope smiled. “You’re a good person, Rose. This world is lucky to have you. I must say, you’re the most successful of any Seers I have created so far.”

Rose nodded slowly as the meaning of Calliope’s words dawned on her. “Yes… I understand. So you are the one who makes the Seers?”

“Yes. If Caliborn takes the spark away from my creations, why shouldn’t I take the mundanity from his?” She shrugged. “And I know you’re wondering. Yes, the voice you’ve been hearing also belongs to me.” Kanaya and Jade looked to Rose in amazement. “What voice?” Jade mouthed.

“But anyhow. I had hoped the Faeries would realize what a load of rubbish killing off Seers amounted to. It appears the day has come at last.”

“They haven’t realized, really,” Jade grumbled. “We have one shot at this or we’re imprisoned.”

“Let’s get thinking, then,” Kanaya said, taking a seat in the semicircle Rose and Calliope had formed. “What do we know about this Caliborn?”

“He’s very ill-tempered. He wants to rule the universe and fill it with his void. He’ll do anything to win.” Calliope ticked off points of knowledge on her fingers. “He’s determined when it comes to his overarching goals, but rather lazy in everyday life. Very immature. Seeks to emulate those he admires, but any belonging to that group are now extinct. Let’s see…” 

Kanaya stopped her. “What did you say about wanting to win?”

Calliope shook her head in disgust. “Oh, he’s all about petty victories. We used to play all kinds of games. He’d lord it over me any time I lost.” 

“You don’t suppose,” Kanaya said thoughtfully, “that we could employ some type of wager against him?”

Calliope seemed reluctant. “I’ve considered every type of plan, believe me. But Caliborn is a dirty cheater. If me made a bet with him, he’d do anything to make sure he won, especially with the stakes we would presumably set.”

“It seems like the best option,” Jade ventured. “But what sort of trick could we plan?”

Calliope sat still, lost in thought. “Perhaps… No, I couldn’t risk… Well? Hmm.”

She fidgeted on the tree stump. “When we were young, we used to play chess.”

“Am I the only one who finds it amusing that chess existed before the world began?” Rose wondered aloud.

Calliope giggled, then went on. “I’d hate to place all of our lives on such a game, but… Nobody could deny the irony of bringing back a childhood fancy to a pair now battling for the world.

“We would have to concoct some sort of enchantment so he couldn’t cheat. Otherwise he wouldn’t hesitate to pull some kind of childish twist that obeys the _letter_ of the rules, but would be considered foul play by any sensible person. ” She shook her head. “The wording will be tricky. If anyone knows loopholes, its Caliborn. But when the time comes, we can summon him, just like you summoned me. Then we can gamble the universe.”

***

Rose sat back quietly as Calliope and Kanaya discussed spells in depth. As she was unable to truly work magic, she respected the fact that her help was not needed at the moment. But listening to the talk was fascinating. 

“‘Et’na tarel’, for truthfulness?”

“Better make it ‘dicintil’. More effective. Oh, I wish I could teach you the old Cherub tongue. If only we had more time. We had so many words, so powerful, for things you couldn't begin to comprehend!”

The two devised a charm that would keep Caliborn from playing unfairly, Jade occasionally squeaking input. The spell they made would prevent him from stealing any more magic while the game was played, and any time he tried to cheat, it would put back into the world some of the magic he had taken. It would take effect once Caliborn and Calliope shook hands to agreed on the rules.

Rose and Kanaya stood off to the side while Calliope prepared for the summoning.

“I don’t doubt that this plan is our only option,” Rose said quietly. “But these two don't seem to have spoken in a very long time. And they’re both ridiculously powerful, no matter how chummy Calliope may be. What if Caliborn refuses to play?”

Kanaya took her hand and spoke firmly. “We’ll find a way to make him. Don’t worry, Rose. This will work. It will work, and everything can go back to normal again. You can finally See the world you deserve to.”

Rose smiled. “I don't know about everything going back to normal.”

“I know what you mean.” Kanaya’s eyes adopted the quality of ancient sadness that Rose had seen when the Fey first appeared. “I would stay if I could. I would love to. I must remind you, I’ve known you all your life. I care about you quite a lot. I want you to grow to feel the same way about me.” 

“We’ll just have to make sure the plan works, then. For us. For a future.”

“Are you ready, Kanaya?” Calliope called. “I have the base enchantment laid.”

Kanaya nodded. She hesitated for a moment, then leaned in to give Rose a light peck on the cheek. Rose felt Kanaya squeeze her hand before she rejoined Calliope. 

Calliope held a finger to her lips, as if conducting the spirit of the world around her. The light of the forest around them dimmed gradually, turning to the dusk of evening. Her fingers danced through the air, pointing to various spots, and pinpricks of light appeared where she motioned. 

“This is a summons under the command of peace. Caliborn will not be able to harm you as long as the spell is intact. But he can be exceedingly rude. You may want to stay back a bit if you wish to avoid confrontation.

“Kanaya, that book, if you’d please?”

Kanaya turned over her hand, and the spellbook she had used to call Calliope appeared in her palm. It opened to the proper page as she passed it over. 

“Ah, yes. This is mostly Fey work. Powerful, yes, but not quite Cherub caliber. I think I can tweak it just a smidge…”

The dots of light Calliope had magicked into the air were drawn into formation, encircling her head like a halo. She read from the book in a strong voice.

“Eli itsnam ashanae. Kai visra ataktheon, benal a extrusio.”

Jade whispered to Rose, “I can understand a little bit of this, but it must be mostly Cherub language. It starts the same way the other spell did…”

“Den bena extrusio. Bena altalai, shinra sonnin.” 

Kanaya joined Rose and Jade. The lighting was slowly growing darker, and Kanaya’s glowing skin stood out more clearly as a result. Calliope’s voice was a low murmur, speaking words of a language long lost. Rose listened carefully. Every syllable seemed to hum with power. Her voice rose as she grew closer to the end of the incantation:

“Granius prefil si enlo tempa distnika. Nominae… Caliborn.”

The sparks around Calliope’s head fizzed and grew into a single band. Her head became a dark silhouette against the white light, too bright to look at directly. Rose averted her eyes, the afterimage of Calliope’s form burning under her eyelids as she blinked. But there! That form, that one was no afterimage… A second shadow was appearing in the light.

The light intensified for a single moment, then, with a pop, it disappeared into the mysterious figure. They were left in a darkness black as pitch.

The visitor, by the name of Caliborn, shattered the silent night with a shrill cackle. “Sis! It’s been too long!”

The natural light of the spring was suddenly brought back. Rose could look upon the so-called spirit of void at last.

At first glance, he seemed Calliope’s polar opposite. His hair was black and choppy. As opposed to Calliope’s emerald irises, his eyes gleamed scarlet. The swirls on his cheeks displayed a similar hue. He bore a cunning smirk, a face mischievous and cruel. He had nothing of Calliope’s innocence. 

But there was some sort of kindred spirit between the two of them. Rose was startled to see an echo of Caliborn in the hatred etched into Calliope’s face as she stared at him.

“Caliborn. Let’s skip the pleasantries, shall we?”

Caliborn scoffed. “No. Please. Tell me about how you want me to stop ‘stealing’ from you. I'm so interested in your baby whining.”

Calliope gritted her teeth. “You know what you're doing, and I know I can't stop you.”

“No. You can't. I am just doing that thing called ‘being myself.’” Caliborn posed dramatically. “I'm doing a very good job of it.”

Calliope continued as if he hadn't spoken. “So, I have a proposition for you. Let’s say we play a game. Winner takes all.”

Caliborn’s eyes widened. “‘All’ as in, all the worlds? Well, color me impressed, dear sister! I didn't think you'd surrender so easily. I accept. Of course.”

“Wait a moment. You need to agree to a set of rules first.” Calliope took a deep breath. “During the game, you will be unable to take any magic from any world I had a hand in creating.”

Caliborn tutted. “Now, that doesn't seem fair. How about… Since I don't get to take any magic, you don't get to put any in? I’ll cease any and all invasion of your territory, as long as you do the same.”

Calliope hesitated. “All right. But there's an enchantment on this spring to prevent foul play. If you try to cheat, I’m allowed to replace some magic.”

“The same to you,” Caliborn counted. “If you cheat, all bets are off.”

“If _I?_ I… Ugh. Fine. But I don't plan on cheating.”

“Let us seal this doomed deal, then.” Caliborn outstretched his hand, grinning widely. “I’ll enjoy destroying everything you love.”

Calliope grimaced and took his hand. She shook it briefly, her skin shining with magic for a moment, then quickly let go. “All right. It’s official.”

“Are the peanut gallery going to spectate?” Caliborn glanced at Rose, Kanaya, and Jade. Calliope nodded, and he shrugged. “Makes no difference anyway. They can be the first to get a taste of a world of… Well, is it a world if there's absolutely nothing in it? Whatever. They can die second. After you!”

Calliope ignored him once more and conjured a chessboard out of thin air. It settled on the tree stump, and a set of red and green pieces popped into existence on top of it. The two Cherubs sat on either side of the board.

Calliope looked at Rose, then back to her brother. “Let’s play.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> update on my list of upcoming fics:
> 
> I want to do a doctor who-ish AU, but I don't know if it should be johndave or johnkat. The same goes for an AU involving demons and hellish shenanigans.


	6. Chapter 5

The chess match going down before Rose’s eyes was quite possibly the most intense thing she had ever witnessed. She was no chess expert, but she knew enough to recognize years of experience at work. Calliope sat hunched over the board, fist against her mouth. It was her turn, and she was concentrating deeply. It had been several minutes since her brother made a move. Caliborn yawned pointedly. 

“Rook to H4,” she mumbled finally, picking up one of her pieces. 

“Bishop to C6,” Caliborn said immediately, making his move before Calliope had even set her piece down. 

“Knight to D6,” Calliope said slowly. Then she smiled. “Time to shake things up. Move her, or take my knight.” She pointed to the board. “You know you want to take her. Just look at her there. Might as well take her out. You know when the action begins and pieces start to fall, that’s when you make your most creative mistakes!” 

Caliborn ignored her. “Knight to D6. The knight is dead. Your words are boring.”

“I don’t know how to play chess,” Jade whispered. “What’s happening?”

“Hush, that’s what I’m trying to predict,” Kanaya whispered back. 

“King to D2,” Calliope said. She sounded more sure of herself than she had been previously.

“Pawn to B6.”

“Bishop to D6. The knight is dead. Your serpents are lost. Check!”

“Oh. Well. It does sure appear, that I am in check. Guess I’ll have to do something about that. King to F7.” Rose winced with the force Caliborn slammed down his move. 

Kanaya inhaled sharply. “Caliborn’s going to lose.”

Calliope smiled triumphantly after taking another of her brother’s pieces. “One more to go, love.”

Caliborn leered. “Well. What is left for me to do, besides accept my defeat. King to H7.”

Calliope moved to pick up her queen. But her hand would not move. She struggled, but her hand remain motionless in the air. Her eyes snapped to her brother. “Caliborn,” she growled. “What is this?”

“A breach of an agreement,” he said, eyes wide. “Oh, but not by me this time, ‘sis’. Don’t you remember? You agreed to cease any and all invasion of my territory. Just think. Innocent little me, I stopped taking your magic. Because I’m a _good_ brother. But oh, the betrayal! You’ve been cheating this whole time.” 

Calliope spluttered. “Wh-what? I haven’t made a single foul move!”

“Oh. But you have.” Caliborn’s eyes glittered. He lifted a finger.

He was pointing directly at Rose.

“Did I not specify ‘invasion of territory’? Forgive me. But I think you’ll agree that allowing a human, a creature of _my_ creation, to retain magic during our little game, is a broken contract.”

Calliope could only stare. “How could you expect me to _take_ \--

“The spell you cast to prevent foul play hasn’t stopped me, so, I think I’m in the right here,” Caliborn concluded. “And since you cheated, that means… All bets are off.”

“I… Oh. All right. You don’t get this world, then.”

Caliborn cocked his head. “Did I say that?”

“Winner _took_ all, when the game was in play,” Calliope said through gritted teeth. “But if all bets are _off_ , the prizes are, too.”

“Well. I guess we won’t consider it a ‘prize’ then. I was going to take it even if we hadn’t played, so what’s the difference, really.” Caliborn stood up and cracked his knuckles. “Time to watch everything you’ve made, get destroyed.”

Calliope was silent, still looking at her brother incredulously. “That’s not fair,” Rose spoke up for her. 

Caliborn snorted. “Says the embodiment of cheating. How exactly, do you suppose to stop me?”

He snapped, and Rose was frozen in place. The pained expressions of Kanaya and Jade told her that they were in the same position. 

_Rose, we have to do something._

Rose glanced at Calliope, who held a finger to her lips. 

_He doesn’t know I can speak to you nonverbally. I know you can’t reply, so I need you to listen carefully. The only way to stop him now is to create enough magic to weaken him, enough to bring him down to a little less than my current power level, at least. I can create magic, but not at that quantity. The last time I’d have done it would be near the beginning of everything. And I had help then. I need you to help me now._

“Caliborn, let them go,” Calliope said aloud. Her voice was calm and confident, the opposite of the worried tone she had in Rose’s head.

“Why should I?”

“If we can really do as little as you say, we won’t cause any harm by being free to move.”

Caliborn snarled, and Rose felt her muscles loosen. “Fine. But keep over there and don’t touch me.” He lifted a finger, and Jade whimpered. In a few moments Rose felt what she was reacting to. 

The tingly atmosphere of the spring was slowly fading. All the power swirling through the air was dissipating, leaving the clearing empty and hollow. Rose knew the same thing would be happening all over the realm. 

_Quickly, now. You know the difference between passive and active when it comes to magic, right?_ Rose nodded.

_All right. I would try this with Kanaya, but I’m afraid it might kill her. Nobody could handle my amount of power when they already have so much of their own. But you’re a perfect vessel._

_I can try to channel my magic through you. Every magical being, including Seers, is a tap to the pure magic of creation. That magic is me, of course. I can’t personally access my full power because I’m so weak now. But together we could, and we could use all the magic I have and have had. You only have passive magic, giving you a stronger tolerance, but you’ve been around it all your life, so you can summon it. You love it. You’re a good person, Rose. I believe you could save us. But if I make a mistake I could kill you. Is this all right with you?_

Rose quirked an eyebrow. “If you don’t kill me, he will,” she thought. 

_I know what you’re trying to say, and I agree. You think we should give it a go?_

Rose nodded, and Calliope strolled casually over to her. Her green eyes were filled with concern. “Ready?” she breathed. 

“Yes.”

Calliope set her hands on Rose’s shoulders, and slowly leaned forward until their foreheads touched. 

With a shock, images were running through Rose’s head. She could see Calliope, but she looked younger, her face the same, but her eyes different. She could see Caliborn, too, somehow looking less malevolent. She could see worlds and stars and magic and void and the culmination of everything she believed to be true and false. She could see the beginning and the end and every possible way they could play out. She could See everything. 

And she felt so powerful. There was a sensation in her heart that she had never known. It had a glimmer of likeness to how Rose felt when she saw Jade cast spells, or the glow of Kanaya’s skin, or all these beings she could see in her mind’s eye. The tingle of a magical spring amplified by a thousand. The feeling was huge, and it threatened to overpower her. Her very blood was molten gold. She felt that if she opened her mouth and asked all the empty space in existence to conjure meaning, it would. 

Despite the pictures overflowing in her mind, Rose could see the clearing in front of her. She dimly registered Caliborn howling and trying to pull she and Calliope apart, but to no avail. Jade and Kanaya were nearby, frozen once more. The spring was filled with a bright light emitted by a mysterious source. Rose, perhaps? 

In the part of her still locked to Calliope there in the physical world, Rose knew the spring was losing its sense of emptiness. 

_The spring was an_ extra _source of magic in this world. If we’re filling it again we must be nearly there! Also, if we continue much longer I’m worried I’ll incinerate you._

“Stop it!” Caliborn was shrieking. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to work! You cheater, you’ll kill me!”

_... I think we can stop now._

Rose felt Calliope lean back, severing their connection. For a split second a hot flash of anger swept over her. She wanted that magical feeling back. But the sensation faded as quickly as it had arrived, and soon she wondered why it had come in the first place. She wasn’t the type to lust for power. Why had she reacted that way? Why was the sky spinning?

Dizzy, she stumbled and fell into a soft patch of grass. Before she could hit the ground, she fainted. 

***

Rose woke up in Kanaya’s arms. Calliope sat next to her while Jade hovered anxiously above her face. 

“Hello,” Kanaya smiled down at her. “Lucky I caught you.” 

“Rose, are you all right?” Calliope said hurriedly. “Oh, I knew that was risky. I hope I didn’t hurt you.”

“No, I think I’m all right.” Rose sat up with some difficulty. “What happened to Caliborn?”

“He’s right over there,” Jade giggled, pointing towards the tree stump. At its base Calliope’s brother lay, panting heavily and glaring at them all.

“I’ve waited to release some of the magic we summoned until you awoke. I wanted you to be present for this conversation.” Calliope stood up and walked over to the stump.

“Caliborn,” she said coldly. 

He stuck his tongue out at her. 

“You’re an immature, power-hungry, insatiable git. Quite frankly, I can’t stand you. But do you want to know something?” She sat down in front of him. “If you had killed me, you would’ve died as well. You’re a magical creature, you prat. You can’t survive without me. And… I can’t without you. If there were no absence of magic, would it be magic at all? Not really. It would just be life.

“So, I can’t kill you, though I’d bloody well like to.” She stuck out her hand. “Let’s make a truce. You stop trying to take more than you need. I’ll stop giving more than is needed in response. We can have a balance again.”

Caliborn rolled his eyes. “Why do I have to be related to such a sap?” 

But he reluctantly took her hand anyhow. 

The glow of this handshake was stronger than that of their previous one, and Calliope waited a little longer to let go. 

“All right, I’m out of here. I can’t stand to look at your ugly face any longer,” Caliborn sneered. With a pop, he was gone. 

Calliope stared at the spot her brother had occupied a moment before. Rose expected her to say something tiredly derogatory, but instead she just laughed. “He never changes, even in the most important moments.”

“What’s going to happen now?” Kanaya asked. 

“Well…” Rose considered this. “I guess we go and tell the Queen there’s nothing to worry about anymore?”

“She’ll be happy that there won’t be any more Seers coming around,” Jade grinned. “Maybe she’ll even let you off.”

Calliope smiled guiltily. “Sorry about that. Oh, I wish I could come. But I shouldn’t. Nobody knows about Cherubs anymore, and if for some reason they did, the sight of a deity might put them off a bit.” 

“Pssh, nobody’s going to care!” Jade said scornfully. “C’mon!”

“Really, I shouldn’t. But…” Calliope shrugged. “I suppose I could visit every once in a while.”

Rose recognized parting words when she heard them. “Is this goodbye, then?” 

Calliope nodded. “Not forever. Just for a while. But I’ll miss you all. They say you bond more strongly with people when you experience stressful things with them… I guess that makes us all great friends?”

“Of course!” Jade assured her. “Nothing less.”

Calliope pulled her three new friends in for a hug. “All right. Have fun until I see you again, then. Goodbye.”

She released them, and Rose watched as her image slowly faded. 

There was silence for a while, a peaceful quiet to respect a friend’s departure. To honor a brave one’s actions. 

“That was quite the adventure,” Rose said, breaking the silence. “Shall we be off, then?”

Kanaya and Jade nodded in agreement. As they passed the golden gates, Jade burst into a fit of laughter. Rose looked at her in confusion. “What is it?”

Jade wiped her eyes. “The sprite, the guy who was guarding the spring. He’s gone. he must have run away. Imagine how that must have looked!”

Rose had to laugh, too, imagining the sight. 

***

“What’s bothering you?” Rose asked. Kanaya had been strangely silent on their walk back to the castle. 

“Nothing, it’s just… Well. Not nothing. I don’t think the Queen will really care if we’ve succeeded. She never experienced the danger, after all. Don’t you think… Knowing her, she’ll probably make me leave.”

Rose’s heart sank. Kanaya was right. There was no way the Queen would allow an “enemy” to remain in her territory, no matter how benevolent. 

“Well… We’ll just have to find a way to convince her.” By now, the gesture of taking Kanaya’s hand was so familiar that Rose didn’t hesitate. They walked hand-in-hand the rest of the way.

The door to the Queen’s palace was far too close. Far too simple to enter. Her throne room was too easy to gain access to, and her throne too quick to walk towards. Rose bit her lip harder and harder as she, Kanaya and Jade approached the Faerie ruler.

“Did you take care of it?” she said boredly.

Rose nodded.

The Queen sat up, looking annoyed. “Then what the hell do you look so beat up for? Seriously, kid, you look like your cat got hit by a bus.”

Kanaya spoke for her. “I assume you’re expelling me from your kingdom?”

“Of course. I’ve got to set an example. If I didn’t, we’d have,” she shuddered, _”tourists.”_.

A familiar voice cut in. “Nope. I’m sorry. I was going to leave and everything was going to be jolly dandy but I absolutely cannot abide this.”

Calliope marched up to the Queen’s throne and jabbed a finger in her face. “You let my friends stay together, or I swear I’ll--

“And who the hell are you?” the Queen said in disbelief. “You can’t just walk in here, you know--

“Yes I can, considering I’m more powerful than all your guards put together and multiplied,” Calliope fired back. “Now you listen up. My name is Calliope, pleased to make your acquaintance, etcetera. I am a Cherub. I represent magic in its purest form. I’ve just helped save your world, which I _created_ , from utter destruction, along with these three here. I’m not about to let some barmy chav separate them just because she wants to be cruel, got it?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been spoken to like that in my life,” the Queen said furiously. 

Calliope had to do no more than blink, and the Queen’s throne grew a set of straps holding her neatly in place.

Kanaya was allowed to stay in the Faerie world as long as she wanted. 

***

Jade cheered as they walked triumphantly out of the throne room. “I’ve never seen anyone’s eyes get that big!”

“I would never have hurt her, of course,” Calliope said. “I just wanted to give her a good fright so she’d let you stay, Kanaya. Did I put on a good show?”

“Incredible,” Rose assured her. 

“Good. Now… I guess I really should be going.”

Jade landed on Calliope’s head. “Oh, come on! Just stay. Instead of visiting _us_ once in a while, how about you visit wherever it is you came from? Being the literal embodiment of magic can’t be _that_ consuming a job.”

“Well…” Calliope paused to think. Eventually she broke out into a smile at the hopeful look on Jade’s face. “Oh, all right. I’ll stay.”

“Yes!” Jade pumped a fist.

Rose watched all this with amusement. “Now that we’ve got that settled. Really, what are we going to do next? Do we just go back to normal life? I don’t see how I can.”

“I have an idea,” Kanaya ventured. “You never really Saw much before now, right?” Rose nodded curiously. “I suppose you’ll have to go back to living with your mother, but… We could stay with you and teach you all about what you’ve missed.”

Jade’s jaw dropped. “Oh my god, I need to show you how to play hoverball.”

“That sounds like a brilliant idea,” Calliope agreed. “Rose?”

“I think that sounds perfect.”

Kanaya smiled shyly at her. “We’ll finally be able to get to know each other better.”

“Or, I’ll get to know you,” Rose corrected. Kanaya shook her head, taking Rose’s hand once again. 

“No, I think there’s always more I could learn.”

Rose was struck by how nice Kanaya looked in the evening light. Her eyes were so enchanting… 

Acting on complete impulse, she leaned forward and gave Kanaya a kiss, a real one. 

She expected herself to pull away after an embarrassed second, but Kanaya’s lips softened against hers, and she found that she didn’t want to. Jade hooted at them. 

After a few wonderful moments, Rose pulled away. Kanaya’s pale white face was flushed, her expression dazed. 

“I’m already learning more about you. I never would have expected that.”

“But you wanted it, right?”

Kanaya nodded, grinning widely. 

“I think we’ve got a good plan on how we should continue, then.”

***

Rose Lalonde’s life had always had a sense of unfulfillment. There were always secrets, things she didn’t even know were hidden, mysterious things she felt she could never reach. All that had changed. After her adventure, she had real friends. She was learning more about the worlds she loved. In the human world, people still pointed and stared, she still heard them whispering. Her mother still drank and neglected her. But Rose was content.

She was finally doing more than Seeing. She was understanding, she was loving, and for what felt like the first time, she was really _living_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! (Comments always make my day ;w;) This has been so fun to write and I appreciate every one of my readers.


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